Chapter 12 - VICTOR RUNS
Victor shoved his attorney aside.
He hit the emergency release on the conference room door and sprinted into the service corridor.
“Victor!”
Grant ran after him.
Two officers followed.
Rachel stayed with Emily.
For exactly three seconds.
Then she saw Victor’s phone lying on the table.
The screen lit up.
A message appeared.
C: Garage B3. Car ready.
Claire.
Rachel grabbed the phone.
“Grant!”
No answer.
She ran into the corridor.
Thomas followed.
“Rachel!”
“Claire’s in the garage!”
They reached the service elevator.
The doors opened.
Claire stood inside.
She looked terrified.
Rachel stopped.
Claire did too.
“Where is Victor?”
Claire shook her head.
“I’m done helping him.”
“You prepared a car.”
“For me.”
Rachel stared at her.
Claire began crying.
“He said he would kill me.”
“Did he kill Daniel?”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I don’t know.”
“Laura knew.”
Claire’s face broke.
“My sister tried to save him.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“What happened?”
“Victor pushed Daniel.”
The words came out almost soundlessly.
Rachel stopped breathing.
Claire continued.
“Laura saw it.”
Thomas closed his eyes.
“Victor pushed him into the water?”
“Yes.”
“Could Daniel swim?”
“Yes.”
Rachel frowned.
“Then why did he die?”
Claire looked at her.
“Because Charles was already on the dock.”
Rachel felt sick.
“What did Charles do?”
Claire whispered,
“He wouldn’t let Victor pull Daniel out.”
Silence.
Rachel’s eyes filled.
Claire continued.
“Victor panicked after Daniel fell.”
“He reached for him.”
“But Charles said if Daniel survived, they would both go to prison.”
Rachel pressed one hand against the elevator wall.
“So Victor left him there.”
Claire nodded.
“And Laura?”
“She tried to go to the police.”
“What happened to her?”
Claire covered her face.
“I gave Victor her address.”
Rachel stared at her.
“I thought he was going to scare her.”
Thomas whispered,
“Claire.”
“I didn’t know.”
She lowered her hands.
“Three months later, Laura’s brakes failed.”
Grant appeared at the far end of the corridor.
“Claire Morgan!”
Claire immediately raised her hands.
“I’ll testify.”
Grant approached.
“Against both of them?”
“Yes.”
“Everything?”
Claire looked at Rachel.
“Everything.”
A crash echoed from the parking garage below.
Grant turned.
Then his radio exploded with voices.
“Suspect vehicle moving!”
“Black Mercedes!”
“Heading for east exit!”
Victor had found another car.
Grant ran.
Rachel remained beside Claire.
She should have felt relief.
Instead, one thought consumed her.
Victor was still running.
And Emily was still upstairs.
Rachel grabbed Thomas’s arm.
“Go back to her.”
“What?”
“Now.”
Thomas understood.
He ran toward the elevator.
But before the doors closed, the hotel fire alarm suddenly began screaming.
Rachel looked up.
Red emergency lights flashed.
Grant’s voice came over the radio.
May you like
“Rachel, get Emily out of the building.”
Then the lights went dark.
